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Even after two decades writing about the personal finance aspects of housing, Elizabeth Razzi finds there’s always more to talk about. Buying and selling, improving, insuring, squabbling with the homeowners association -- whatever the housing topic, let this be your virtual back fence.

Local Address: September 20, 2009 - September 26, 2009

Chances of Congress requiring lenders to include "plain vanilla" versions on their menus of mortgages and other loans seemingly died this week. House Financial Services Committee Chairman Barney Frank circulated a memo to Democrats on the Committee listing changes he intended to make in the bill that would establish a Consumer Financial Protection Agency. "Financial institutions will not be required to offer plain vanilla products and services and CFPA will not have authority to approve or change business plans," the memo said. But it looks like Frank had already taken vanilla off the menu back in July.

If anyone thinks mortgage brokers have been chastened by the financial calamity we've all been through the past few years, think harder. My husband and I received a particularly shoddy refinancing offer just a few weeks ago.

We had a particularly active online chat on Friday. This was one of the questions I couldn't get to within that hour. Next chat is scheduled for Friday, Oct. 2.
Outside Annapolis: Hello, and thank you for the chats! I am desperate for some advice right now. It's another of those "appraisal came in too low" type questions, but with a twist. I tore down the old house I'd been living in for 10+ years, and the new house is under construction. I guess I should have anticipated cost overruns, but I was naive.